Voting-machine



A PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904. F. X. ST. LOUIS 6v A. M. JACKSON.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 24, 1902.

WITNESSES.-

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INVENTORS.

TTORNEY.

No. 752,307. v 'PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904. F. X. ST. LOUIS & A. vM. JACKSON.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED ooT.z4,'19o2.

4SHEETS-HEET2.

NQ MODEL.

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ATTORNEY.

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No. 752,307. PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.

F. X, ST. LOUS & A. M. JACKSON.

VOTNG MACHINE APPLICATION' FILED 00T. 24, 1902. NQ MODEL. 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3. N Q u ATTORNEY.

.AL @Ima WK THE Noknls PETERS co.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

N0 MODEL.

PATENTED FEB. 16, 1904.- F. X. ST. LOUIS & A. M. JACKSON.

VOTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.24, 1902.

4 SHEETS-SHEET f1.

INI/ENTORS BY zgvf ATTORNEY THE Nomels PErERsAcu., wAsHlNcmN, D. c4

UNITED STATES Patented February 16, 1904.

PATENT' OFFICE.

FRANCIS X. ST. LOUIS AND ALFRED M. JACKSON, OF OOLUSA, OALlFORNIA.

VOTING-MACHINE.

SIIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 752,307, dated February 16, 1904.

Application filed October 24, 1902x To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we',FRANc1s X. ST. Louis and ALFRED M. J Aoksomcitizens ofthe United States, residing at Oolusa, in the county ot' Oolusa and State of California, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Votir'ig-Machineaotl which the followingis a specifiliation.

Our invention relates to improvements in voting-machines, the object of our invention being to provide a machine of this character which will be simple in construction, of convenient shape for the operation of voting; which can be built up in sections, so as to permit of being increased or 'diminished in size, according to the number of candidates nominatedl in the election; which will permit of votes being cast for candidates not nominated; which will accurately register the number ot votes cast for each candidate, thetotals being presented in convenient form for inspection at the close of the polls; which will permit a voter to withdraw a vote cast for any candidate and in place thereof to vote for another candidate, and which will prevent a Voter voting for more candidates of a group of candidates than the law permits.

Our vinvention. also provides convenient means for resetting the machine in readiness for the next voter.

Our invention therefore resides in the novel construction', combination, and arrangement of parts for the above ends hereinafter fully specified, and particularly pointed out in the claims. i l

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspectiveview of the machine, the rods for resetting it being broken. Fig. 2 is a broken side elevation of a section oi' the machine. Fig. 3 is an end view of said section. Fig. et is an enlarged planview of a section, parts being broken away in succession to showthe mechanism. Fig. 5 is a broken plan view of an interlocking mechanism to. be used where only a single candidate of a group may be voted for. Fig. 6 is a detail showinga mode of connection of the ends of two suoli interlocking mechanisms. Fig. 7 is a broken side 'of his choice.

elevation of an interlocking mechanism to be Serial No. 128,676. (No model.)

used where several candidates of n group are to be voted for. Fig. 8 is a broken cross-sec tion of Fig. 4. Fig. 9 is a cross-section showing the interlocking mechanism at the bottom of the machine. Fig. 10 is a broken side view of the slide for' actuating the registeringmechanisms. Fig: 11 is a detail view showing a voting-stem engaging the interlocking mechanism for a plurality of candidates. Fig. 12 is a detail view of the same in vanother position. Fig. 13 is a side view showing the finger on the stem for the interlocking mechanism fora single candidate. Fig, 14. is a cross-sec tion showing a modili'ed form ot' interlocking mechanism. Fig. 15 is a broken longitudinal section of the same.

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that our improved machine is box-like in form, standing on the floor of the voting-booth, and of convenient height to permit of -the voter when standing by the side of' the machine to read lthe names of the candidates and to cast his vote by operating keys foi-,the candidates The machine is narrow in pro" portion to its length; but its sizeowill vary acJ cording to the nature ofthe election for 'which it is to be used. For this purpose of thus Varying its size the machine is built up in sections, each section being' complete in itself, so far as the counting mechanism and the locking device are concerned, and the sections are assembled like blocks to build up the machine. Suitable means, as will be hereinafter described,are provided for connecting the mechanism of the assembled sections, especially the locking mechanism. l hen the sections are so assembled, sides 1 and ends 2,- of suitable dimensions, are secured around the mechanism stantially equal to the width of the apertures, said intervening spaces of the slide normally closing the apertures 6 during the election; but at the close of the polls the slides are by the election otiicer pushed back sui'liciently to expose the totals through the apertures 6.

. This may be done by means of a projecting handle 50.

At one side of the voting-keys provision is made for voting for candidates not nominated. This is effected by means of a series of bands 10, of paper, which are carried around rollers 11 and are brought over a iiat support 12, immediately under apertures 13 in the top 4, said apertures being normally closed by means of shutters 14C. By means which will be presently described these shutters are in the operation of voting withdrawn to open the apertures, permitting the voter to write upon the bands of paper seen through said apertures the names of the unnominated candidates for whom he esires to cast his vote.

The act of voting consists in raising a lstem '15 by means of a key 16 and giving said-stem a quarterturn either to the right or to the left and then releasing said stein. Ineither case a finger 17, which before voting' extended in the longitudinal direction of the machine, Will now extendtransversely and will have dropped into the upper portion of a slot 18 in a slide 19. From what has been said it will be understood that there are two such slides 19, one on either side of the row of voting-keys. One of the slides corresponds to the nominated candidates and the other to the unnominated. It will lnow be seen how the shutter 14 is drawn away from the aperture 13.. This is done by' tance to open the aperture 13.

The act of voting is completed by the election oilicer as the voter leaves the votingbooth. The election ofhcer operates a handle 23, which vibrates a number of levers 24, pivoted at 25 on aframe 26, the upper ends of said levers being attached by means of rods 27 to the slides 19, and thus reciprocating said slides. The upper portions of said slots are oblique in direction, and for this reason the lirst movement of the ieciprocation has the eiect of depressing those iingers 17 which had been dropped by the act of voting into the upper ends of the slots. Said lingers are sufficiently long to extend through said slides over pins 28, extending from the sides oi rollers 11 29, so that the depression of the fingers by their engagement with said pins depresscs also said `pins and imparts partial rotation to the rollers.-

The rollers 11 on one side are those heretofore mentioned, which carry tliebands oit' paper on which to write the naines of scattering' or unnominated candidates, so that in regard to votes cast for such candidates the act ot the election officer has the effect of advancing the band or bands of paper a suiiicient distance to bring a clean surface below the aperture lor the next voter to vote by means thereof, it' desired.

Upon the rollers 29 on the opposite side of the voting-keys are carried tapes or bands 3l), having the numerals printed thereon iti-om 0 up to 200 or 300 or whatever may be the number of voters in the precinct, and,the depression ot' the pins imparting partial revolutions to the rollers 29, corresponding to the keys which have been voted, advances the'corresponding tapes through a distance to bring the next higher numbers below the apertures 6.

It will readily be seen that the above construction permits of thc voter changing his vote before leaving the voting-bootli, as until then the vote is not completed. T o change his vote, it is only necessary for the voter to return the key voted to its original position and operate the key for preferred candidate.

In building up the machine by means of the sections, as has been already referred to, it is necessary to connect the slides, which are in line with each other. -This is readily accomplished by means of short strips 31, attached to the adjacent ends of slides 19',v thus connecting said slides and causing them to reciprocate in unison. n

The lower portionof each slot 18 in the slide is horizontal, 4so that in the return movement of the slides the fingers 17 are rotated in the, reverse direction through al quarterturn, bringing the keys 16 and fingers 17 back to their original position as the slides also resume their original position.

Tt is important to provide mechanism which Ywill permit of a voter casting votesi'or a eertain number of a group of candidatesand no more. This is the ease, for instances in voting for Presidential electors, and this manner of voting is also often used in electing supervisors, judges, and the like. Fon this purpose we provide at the lower end'of each voting-stem a stud 32, which rests against a pair of pins 33 on a sprocket-wheel 34:. Said wheel has four pairs, equidistant from each other, of such pins. When the stem is raised, the stud 32 by pressure against the upper pin oi the pair advances said sprocket-wheel through a quarter -turn, thereby advancing also a sprocket-chain 35. Said sprocket-chain. runs over a series of such sprocket-wheels and also around two lower sprocket-wheels 36. lt is evident that the sprocket-chain is advanced through a distance corresponding to the nurnber or' keys that have been voted, and it the advance oi' the sprocket-chain is limited sowill also be limited the nuinber'oiu keys of a group that may be voted. The amount ot ad vance or' the sprocket-ch ain is limited b y means of a bar 37,attached to said sprocket-chain, which bar is attached to a tube 38,'which slides upon a rod 39, connected pivotally to the lower end oi the lever 24. A pin 40 in said rod limits the distance to which the tube can be slid. 'lhispin is adjustable in a series of holes 5I in the rod 39. 1W hen the stem after being raised is turned in the act ot' voting,

the stud 32 is withdrawn 'from contact with the pair of pins 33, so as to cause no obstruction to the further advance ot the sprocketchain when casting other votes. If the voter changes his vote and tur'ns back the stem to its original position,the stud 32 will be brought back into contact with the two pins, and upon the stem dropping back toits normal position said stud new pressing down upon the lower pin of the pair returns the sprocket-chain also to its former position.

WV hen it is desired topermit only one otl a group of candidates to be voted for, we provide on the lower end of each voting-stem, loosely mounted thereon,I a finger 41, which rests normally between the ends of sleeves 42, secured b v means of screws 4?) upon a stationarybar 44. 'hen the stem is raised, said linger 4l displaces steel balls 45 in a row in said sleeves. The amount of such displace ment is limited by means of screws 46 in nuts 47 at the ends of the row ot' sleeves, so that when the linger has been inserted the channel formed by said sleeves is completely blocked ,against the insertion ot' a linger on any other voting-stein.

rlhe sprocket-chains 35 of diiferent sections, in line with each other, may be connected to move in unison by means of rods 48, attached to two adjoining sprocket-chains and in like manner the sleeves for the lockingsballs may be formed into a continuous series from one section to another by removing the adjustingscrews 46 and nut 47 from adjoining ends of series and replacing them by balls and ,sleeves 42, as shown in Fig. 6. It will be seen that the same motion of the lever 24 which returns the slides 19 to their original positionalsc actuates the rod 39 to return the sprocket-chains and sprocket-wheels to their original' position in readiness for the next voter, as upon a forward rotation ot' the sprocket-'wheels and chain the rod 37 is moved into engagement with pin 40, carried by the rod 39, and upon movement of the levers 24 upon their pivots the lower ends thereof are carried toward the machine, forcing the rod 39 and rod 37 in sprocket-chains in the opposite direction to 'Y their normal position.

ing-blocks 6() slide upon a rod G1 and are shifted by means of vertical slides 63, lifted by means of plates 64, attached to the lower end of stems 65, which in this instance. are made much shorter than in the modiiication iirst described. n

Shitable framework is provided for holding the above parts in place. Thus the rollers 'ior the tapes and bands are carried on brackets 70, the lower brackets being adjustable byy means of slots 7l in plates 72. These plates and the plates for the upper brackets are connected by angle-irons 73. Each section is thus complete in itself, and the sections when placed together are surrounded by the sides and ends, as already explained.

`We claiml. A voting-machine comprising votingkeys, a plate having the names of nominated candidates opposite said keys, rollers carrying numbered tapes, means on the opposite side carrying bands tor the names of unnominated candidates, shutters covering the said bands, stems for the keys, means actuated thereby to operate the shutters, fingers adapted to engage said rollers and means for shifting the keys to operate said tingers to move the said rollers, substai'itially as described.

2. A voting-machine comprising a row ot' ifoting-keys having stems, rollers arranged on either side ot' said keys, means carried by one set of rollers for writing the names ot unnomi- -nated candidates, meanscarried by the keys adapted to actuate the said rollers, and means whereby numbers of a group of candidates may be voted for, said means being actuated byl said stems, substantially as described,

3. `A voting-machine comprising in combination voting-keys having stems thereon, a

' plate bearing the names of nominated candidates opposite said keys, rotatable means supporting numbered bands on one side of the keys, rotatablemeans carrying bands having names etl unnominated candidatesfmounted at the other side of the keys, means carried by the stems for actuating both of said means, and means mounted at each side of the keys for returning the same to position, substantially as described.

4. A voting-machine comprising a row of voting-keys, names of nominated candidates on one side of said keys and opposite thereto, rollers on the saine side carrying numbered tapes, rollers on the opposite side carrying tapes or bands for writing the names of unnominated candidates, pins on said rollers on both sides, tingers on the keys adapted to engage pins on the rollers on one side or the other, and means for shitting said keys to cause said lingers to advance said rollers, substantially as described.

in a voting-machine the combination with a row ot' voting-keys, a corresponding row ot registering devices, rotatable means carrying bands on the opposite side of the IOO ' tions of said tapes or bands to write the names of'scattering candidates thereon, stems for the keys, .means carried by said stems for actuating said registering devices when the keys are shiftedin-one direction and for actuating the tapes or bands When the keys 'are shifted in the other direction, and means operated by said stems when the keys are shifted in the latter direction to withdraw said shutters, substantially as described.

7. A votingmachinc comprising a row of voting-stems, a slide having slots, a inger on each stem arranged to be dropped into a slot in the slide in the act of voting, a registering mechanism engaged by said finger When so dropped, means for shitting the slide, said slots being so shaped that the movement of the slide actuates the fingers to operate the registering mechanism, tapes for the reception oi' names of scattering candidates mounted at the opposite side of the keys from the registering mechanism, and means carried by the keys to actuate the same, substantially as describ'ed. 4 4

8. A voting-machine comprising a series of voting-stems, ingers thereon, slides having slots therein mounted at each side of the stems adapted to receive the said fingers, series of rollers mounted at each side of the stems carrying pins thereon and corresponding with the slots in the said slides, bands mounted on the rollersv for registering nominated candidates, bands mounted on the opposite series for the names of unnominated candidates, and

means to actuate the same whereby the rollers are rotated, substantially as described.

9. A voting-machine comprising rows of voting stems, slides corresponding thereto mounted on each side of the stems, a lever for shifting all ot' said slides, registering mechancorresponding to the keys, means carried on the opposite side of the stems to said mechanisms for the names of scattering candidates, fingers arranged to be moved in the operation of voting' yinto slots inthc slides, and means whereby the shifting of said slides by said levers actuates said fingers which have been so moved to advance the registering mechanisms, when the keys are turned in one direction and to operate the last-named means when the said keys are turned in the opposite direction, substantiallI Y as described.

'10. In a voting-machine, the combination with sections, acting-stems mounted therein, `registering mechanisms mounted at one side of the stems', mechanisms for voting'or unnominated candidates carried at the opposite side. slides for operating both of said mech anisms, and means for voting for groups comprising sprocket-wheel, chains running thereover, means carried by the voting-stems to actuate the Wheels and means to limit the advance of the said chain, substantially as described.

11. In a voting-machine, the combination with series of voting-stems, registering devices carried upon one side thereof, means Afor voting unnominated candidates arranged at the opposite side thereof, slides mounted at each side of the stems adapted to be engaged by the same, means for voting a group adapted to be-actuated by the stems, and means to limit the movement of said means, substantially as described.

l2. In a voting-machine, a series 'ofvoting keys, stems thereon, registering mechanisms carried at one side of the stems, independent mechanisms at the opposite sides ot' the said stems, for voting for nominated candidates, ngers carried by the stems adapted upon turning of the same to engageeither of' the said mechanisms to actuate thc same, slides for returning said stems to normal position, means to actuate the slides, and means for group-voting adapted to be actuated by the stems, comprising sprocket s Wheels, chains carried thereby, means adapted to be engaged by the stems to actuate said Wheels, means for limiting the movement of the chains, and means for returning said chains to normal position, substantially as described.A

In witnessnwhereof we have hereunto set our hands in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.-

FRANCIS X. STVLOUIS. ALFRED Mf JACKSON. l/Vitnesses:

T. O. ARENs, CHAs. COLLINS.

IOO 

